End fitting for wire



June 10, 1941. a. HAYDEN END FITTING Fon WIRE Fil'ed ua'y e, 1939.-y

Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE END FITTING FOR WIREBoyd Hayden, Newton, Mass.

Application May 8, 1939, Serial No. 272,467

3 Claims.

This invention relates to means for anchoring an end of a wire. It is anobject of the invention to provide a simple, economical and eiectivedevice for such purpose. The invention may be applied to bare wireswhich are single or stranded, or to Woven cords having wire cores.

The invention is described and illustrated herein as exemplified indobby cords for looms In the weaving operation, the various heddles mustbe raised at predetermined intervals for the formation of the desiredpattern in the product. For this purpose, dobby cords are attached tothe heddles. It is an object of the present invention to provideimproved means by which an end fitting such as an eye can be formed uponor attached to an end of the dobby cord, the attachment being such thatthe life of the cord and its end fitting will be considerably longerthan that of the dobby cords previously in use.

For this purpose, a small coil of wire is provided adapted to fit overthe end portion of the Wire core of a dobby cord. 'I'he coil ispreferably 'but not necessarily made with spaced turns.

After such a coil has been tted over the end portion of a wire, it iscompressed or squeezed laterally between two opposing surfaces so as toflatten it, this treatment resulting in the formation of waves or crimpsin the wire between the turns of the coil. The wire is thus firmlygripped by the coil so that, by inserting the resulting anchoringelement in a hollow fitting having interior shoulders against which anend of the coil may bear, the end fitting may be strongly anchored tothe wire.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be hadto the following description of certain embodiments thereof, and to thedrawing of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an end fittingembodying the invention and applied to the end of a woven cotton cordhaving a. stranded wire core.

Figure 2 is an elevational View, on a larger scale, of a coil which isadapted to ilt over the end portion of a wire.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a coil being compressed on the endportion of a. wire.

Figure 4. is a sectional view of a cord and end tting such as is shownin Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modified form o1' end tting on a Wirecore.

Figure 6 is a modied form of anchoring element adapted for clamping twoor more wires together. Y

Figure 7 is a section on the line T-'I of Fig" ure 3.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a plan View of an anchoring element.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the anchoring element shown in Figure9.

Figure 11 is an elevational view of a wire having an eye or loop securedto the end thereof.

Figure 12 is an elevational view of a Wire having an eye or loop formedon the end portion thereof.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of an end iitting of the type shown inFigure 1, but provided with an adjustable extension.

The invention may be applied to wires of various kinds. As illustratedin Figure 1, a woven cotton cord I0 having a stranded wire core I2 isprovided with an end fitting I4. This end tting may include a tensionmember made of sheet metal bent to approximate cylindrical form or madeof seamless tubing. One end portion of the tting may be flattened as a'tI6, this fiattened portion being perforated as at I8 to receive a ring20 or S-hook (not shown). The other end 22 of the tting I4 is preferablyin the form of a ferrule which embraces the cut end of the woven broussheath to prevent unraveling of this sheath. Adjacent to the ferrule 22is a constricted portion 24 which is pressed to a smaller diameter so asto t closely around the Wire core I2. As indicated in Figure 4, thisportion of reduced diameter results in an interior shoulder 26 whichserves as an abutment against which bears any enlargement or anchoringelement which may be formed on the end portion of the Wire core I2.

According to the invention, a simple but effective abutment or anchoringelement is formed on the end wire core I2 by 'the use of a coil 30 suchas is illustrated in Figure 2. This coil 30 is helical in character andconsists of a series of convolutions or turns adapted to t snugly overthe core I2. The arrangement or spacing of the several turns of the coilmay be arranged as desired. As shown in Figure 2, the coil is providedwith two turns 32 at one end arranged close together so as to becontiguous. At the opposite end of the coil the end turn 34 is a closedloop. The intermediate loops between these end turns are spaced apart.It is to be understood that this particular arrangement may be varied byhaving all of the turns close together, or all of the turns spacedapart, or

some of the turns close together and some spaced in other combinationsthan that shown.

In forming an anchoring element on the end of a wire core, a coil ofwire such as illustrated in Figure 2 is slipped over the bared endportion of the Wire core I2. The coil 30 is then subjected to lateralpressure from opposite directions, this pressure being exerted by meansof thev jaws of a vise or by a press or other equivalent mechanism.Pressing elements 36 are illustrated in Figure 3. As shown therein, thespacing between these pressing surfaces is preferably tapered so thatthe end turn 34 of the coil and the portion of the core embraced therebyare subjected to the greatest pressure and greatest degree-of flatteningas indicated in Figure 8, the end turns 32 being subjected to little, ifany, pressure or attening, as indicated in Figure 7. In such case, thesuccessive turns in the coil vary progressively from a substantiallycircular shape at the end remote from the end of the strand I2 to anelliptoid shape adjacent to the end of the strand.l Thus the maximumpinching, flattening and gripping of the core I2 by the turns of thecoil 39 occur at the end 34, the coils 32 having little or no grip onthe core I2. Hence the tensile strength of the core I2 is undiminishedin that portion of the core which is surrounded by the turns 32 of thecoil. The spaced intermediate turns of the coil grip the core withincreasing firmness and also form waves or crimps inthe core with' whichthey intert to anchor the core securely within the coil 30. The coil30,. when thus pressed into engagement with the core I2,

may then be inserted into the fitting I4, the tting being left openlaterally for such purpose. At the Ysame time the end portion 38 of thewoven cord is inserted in the ferrule 22, a portion of the bared coreextendingv through the narrowneclr.v

24` of thetting. The fitting is then stamped or squeezed so as to closethe edges together and form a casing enclosing the anchoring element. Acasing made as indicated in` Figure 1 will not open up or spread in useif made of reasonably stiff sheet stock. If, however, the casing shouldtend to spread when subjected to stresses, it may be secured in anysuitable manner, as, for example, a-dovetailflockA'rv (Figure 13) or bya rivet`(not shown) at the neck 24.` If desired, the coil 30 may beanchored more securely to the endportion of the core I2 by soldering thecoil after it has been squeezed on the end portion of the core, the coil3@- being shown in the drawing withoutsolder, but in .most cases thegrip of the coil on the wavedor crimped core will be sufcient forpractical purposes. Instead of squeezing the coil againstY the wire orcore prior to its insertion in the fitting I4, the coil 33S may beslipped over the bared end of the core I2, andthe coil and .coreinserted in the open fitting I4; orA a coil may beinserted `in one endof a. tubularv casing having a constriction such as. illustratedv bemade by casting a lump .of solder or harder h metal on the wire core,the portion of the core embedded in the casting being preferably'crimped or kinked.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate modications of the invention, Figure 5showing-a coil 44 consisting off helical turns all of which are closetogether. The strongly pressed turns indent the contiguous surfaces ofthe core I2 so as to grip the core firmly, the turns of the coil remotefrom the extreme end of the core being preferably pressed to a lesserdegree so as not to weaken the core where it enters the coil. After thecoil has been pressed upon the end portion of the core as shown, it maybe soldered as at 46 if desired. Figure 6 shows a coil 48 used to jointogether the end portions of two cores IZ or other wires, this coilbeing squeezed in such a manner as to grip the core most strongly at thecenter of the coil, the two end turns of the coil being compressedlittle if any.

Figures 9 and l0 show a slightly modified form of coil 5l`having noclosely spaced turns. This coil may be slipped over the end portion ofthe wire core i2 and thereby pressed so as to crimp the core asillustrated in Figure 10.

Instead of providing a ring 25 and a hole I8 therefor as shown in Figure1, an eye may be formed by or upon the end portion of the wire asillustrated in Figures l1 and 12. For example, aY short piece of wire52-may be bent so that its mid-portion forms an eye 54, the end portionsof this piece of wire being arranged parallel. These parallel endportions are placed alongside of the end portion of a wire 56. A helicalcoil 58 is then placed or formed upon the assembled wires and 52 and thecoil 58 is subjected to .lateral pressure in the mannerillustrated inFigure 3 or Figure 10. The turns of the coil 58 produce Waves or crirnpsin the wires 52 and 53 so that the wires are thus prevented from beingpulled out under stress. Instead of employing a separate wire 52, theend portion ofthe wire 55 may be bent back upon itself to form an eye55, a coil 58 being employed in the manner hereinbefore described toanchor the end portion of the wire to the standing part adjacent to theeye 6I).V

It is sometimes desirable to adjust the effective length of a dobbycord. For this purpose, the end fitting I4 may be vformed with anextension E54 having an elongated longitudinal slot 66 therein and sidefaces which are serrated as at S8. These serrations are transverse andare preferably made with teeth of the buttress type or of the undercuttype. Cooperating with this extension 54 is an element 19 having aU-shaped portion adapted to fit over the extension 64. The legs of theU--shaped portion are provided with alined bores T2 and "I4, one ofthese bores being tapped to receive a screw '16. The inner faces of thelegs of the element 'Iii are serrated as at l@ to iit the serrations onthe facesl 68 of the extension 6ft. Thus the element 'I0 may be placedin adjusted position upon the extension 54 and may be firmly clampedthereon by means of a screw 'G- which passes through the bore 'I2 andthe sloti for threaded engagement in the bore "54. The element I5 has anend extension with an aperture 82 therein to receive a ring or otherconnecting'device. ,l i

While the invention hasbeen thus described as embodied in ttings fordobby cords and the like, it is evident thatit may beemployed in otherequivalent structures for connecting .the ends of wires or wire cords tootherf elements. It is further evident that Various modications andchanges may be made in the speciiic cmbodiments of the invention hereinshownand described without departing from the spirit or scope thereof asdefined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An end tting for a iiber cord having a wire core, comprising anenlargement formed on a bared end portion o1' the core. and a casing ofsubstantially rigid material having a portion surrounding saidenlargement, a portion surrounding the portion of the i'lber cordadiacent to the bared core and a constriction between the two saidportions of the fitting forming an abutment for said enlargement.

2. A strand having an abutment element on the end portion thereof, saidend portion having a wavy form, said element comprising a coil of wirehaving a progressively increasing pinching engagement with said endportion and intertting with the waves thereof. and tension meansengaging said element remote from the end of said strand.

3. A strand having an abutment element secured on the end portionthereof, said element comprising a wire coil surrounding said endportion and in pinching engagement therewith, the successive turns ofsaid coil varying progressively from a substantially circular shape atthe end remote from the end of the strand to an elliptoid shape adjacentto the end of the strand.

BOYD HAYDEN.

